I need advice from people of the north!

[toffee1]

We will be coming up on another winter in a few months and i was wondering how people keep their coops warm? I was thinking about a brooder light but i have a pretty big coop and i dont know how warm it would stay? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[ShaggysGirl]

This will be my first winter with chickens. The breed I have are supposed to be very cold tolerant and I figure on days we go under 35f I'll use a heat light. I have read some people will line the coop with hay to keep in warmth too.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
It runs the gamut from no heat to spoiled chickens. Chickens can take a lot of cold without problems especially if there are no drafts. If your in a very cold area you may need to be cautious of frostbite. I live in a mild climate (Western Wa) and I spoil mine with a heater that keeps the roost area about 40*, but the floor of the coop runs about 30*. It also depends on how many chickens you have. They can generate a lot of heat themselves.

Imp

 

[citygirl]

Quote:
We live in Ohio which does get cold. We have well insulated coops and do not use heat unless it gets below zero. Then we use a heat lamp only overnight and close the pop door when it's dark. Alot of people use heat in their coops but we haven't lost a chicken or had frostbite in the past 7 years.

 

[Whispering Winds]

My guy I am buying eggs from right now, told me when we have some pretty frigid days here in Central Il. ( he has about 30 chickens,) he uses a plain old heat lamp. Said it does run up the ele. bill, but its the safest and easiest way to do it.

 

[Marlinchaser]

REAL chickens dont need heat after they are fully feathered. If you have a draftfree coop they will survive. With a good coop, even when below freezing outside it will be above freezing inside, especially if using deep litter method you will get heat from the "composting" manure, as it breaks down it gives off heat. (feel your compost pile after couple days, it can get hot enough to burn ya). Just ensure they have water a couple times a day they will survive.

 

[miss_jayne]

i live in Michigan and it can get a might nippy! i do not use any artificial heat at all. we want the chickens to feather as much as they can naturally. we also put more chickens in the coops in the winter than 1 per four foot square. they give off more body heat and snuggle.

we will turn all of our coops to face south (away from the north wind) and bank them with straw bales. we use deep bedding and litter so they can bed down if necessary.

we kind of go by the theory if we heat them and the power goes out, then they are in for quite a shock. also, if the coop is toasty and they go in and out from warm to cold, that brings their resistance down, just like when people go from in and out of warm bldgs. into cold air. it's not good for your body.

but, in the end, there is no 'right or wrong' way to do it, you have to do what works for you.

 

[silkiechicken]

How cold is cold and how north is north? A location may help on suggestions. In western WA, I do not heat coops, and in matter of fact, most my birds choose to sleep "outdoors" and not in their hutches all winter. Mostly mild winters in the 30's and 40's, but even last year when temps were in the teens for a few weeks and with a foot of snow outside, only the old birds and the small birds went inside.

Most importantly, make sure there is ventilation and humidity does not get high in the coop. They can deal with single digits no problem, but just below freezing and damp air will give them frost bite.

 

[tcwk]

I'm in northern PA in the Snowbelt, I haven't gone through a winter yet but another piece of advice I can give you is to make your roosts wide and flat so when your chickens roost their feet will be flat and they will stay warmer.

 

[toffee1]

Im from central wisconsin and it can get pretty frigid. Especially with that darn wind.